Night Eternal
by NightEternal
Summary: Like the mighty phoenix, I shall rise from the ashes, born anew and I shall spread my wings and take flight.
1. Prologue

Prologue

There are times when I wake up at night and cast a wary glance out my window, my room lit only by the moon and the stars on the best of nights, and wish as hard as anyone's ever wished before that I could just leave this place and all the memories of it behind and go somewhere, anywhere, else than here. I wish to go somewhere peaceful and warmed by love, and by passion. I wish to go where no one is judged and no one is rejected for simply being themselves. I wish to go away. I wish to be free and to simply live without worrying about being killed or disappointing everyone around me, somewhere I don't have to keep up appearances for the sake of everyone else and can just exist within myself for as long as I want. I wish to go somewhere that I can call home. I want for nothing more than to love and be loved. I wish for things I cannot have, the things they all take for granted.

That's when I crash back to reality and realize that, no matter how hard I beg and plead and wish, nothing is ever going to change, I am never going to get out of this place, I am neve going to be free. I am bound to service simply because I was born, albeit a little differently than most others. It's not like I have control over the way I was born. It's not like I chose to be ostracized; who in their right mind would choose such a thing? It hurts being thrust from society, and because of what? Because my hair is dark, because my skin is pale and my eyes glow amber, bright as any fire? How utterly ridiculous. I am the same as they are. I am still human, am I not? I still feel pain and hunger, cold and fear. I still possess compassion, love and anger. No, I am exactly the same as them, and that is why they fear me, that is why they shove me away and lock me up when they don't want to think of me.

Now, as I sit by the window, watching the rain drip past the glass, I yearn to take action, to make the changes happen, to pave the way for a future of my making. Courage bubbles up within me and I can no longer contain it. Tonight I shall initiate my rebellion, tonight I shall throw myself into the fire and see what comes of it. Tonight I shall feel the rain for the first time, see the sky at dawn and run. Tonight I make my stand, and the outcome depends solely on the choices I make. Tonight, the darkness is mine, and if I should arise victorious, I shall make it mine for all eternity and no one and nothing will ever stop me again. I will never again be chained and shackled, treated like a slave and beat into submission. Like the mighty phoenix, I shall rise from the ashes, born anew and I shall spread my wings and take flight.


	2. A New Day, A New Future

**Author: **Vanilla.Eyes

**Disclaimer: **I own Melodie and the plot. Everything else belongs to JKR and Warner Bros.

**Author's Note: **I really hope you all enjoy this. I'd love it if you'd review, too. Nothing hurts more than seeing a story you put all your creativity and passion into with several thousand hits and only a dozen reviews. Even if it's just to flame, please review and let me know how I can change it to make it better. I'm also looking for a good, reliable beta if anyone's interested.

**Warnings:** Voldemort's probably a bit OoC in this, but then, who really knows how he acts when he's not surrounded by followers or anyone else?

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**Chapter 1 **

**x **

**A New Day, A New Future**

_'You never truly know someone, as people are only themselves when they are alone.'_

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Melodie screamed as she threw herself against a tree, her chest heaving from the past thirty minutes of simply running. She'd never been so far from that place in all her life, but now, as she stood on the outskirts of the property, hidden in a thick of trees, she breathed a sigh of relief. She was finally free. No longer were they chasing after her, no longer did they care that she was gone. No longer did Melodie have to yearn silently for what she wanted. Without so much as a glance back at the building that had been her home and her hell for sixteen years, she ran once more.

Two hours of running had given her time to think, time to process the fact that she was actually free to do as she pleased without having to please anyone. A large building, a mansion of sorts, loomed in the darkness, the dawn's first glow casting eerie shadows across the rather generous expanse of the front lawn. She walked timidly from the cover of the woods, making her way towards the home, always keeping to the darkest shadows possible.

The rain had soaked through her simple green dress and the fabric, worn and faded, clung tightly to every curve of her arms, torso, and thighs. Her shoes were covered with mud and her stockings were ripped with a few briar thorns still clinging to them, piercing her calves with every step. Her hair, usually a vibrant red, fell limp across her face and shoulders to cascade down her back and cling to her dress. She shivered slightly as she neared the steps that led up to the front doors, pausing to think for a moment. Was she ready for this? Would the rest of the world reject her because she was different, because she had powers? She shook her head, clearing it of any and all traitorous thoughts. She had come this far, she wasn't about to lose her nerve and ruin it all.

She moved slowly up the steps, her heels clicking lightly against the expensive white marble. Standing at the top, she looked up at the door knocker, a snake woven around a crown of thorned roses. An elegant **R** was embossed in the center of the snake's head. She shook away the feeling of excitement, and the feeling of wanting. Surely someone with a home this exquisite had plenty of money, a scholar of some sort perhaps with a vast knowledge of many things, dark things. She couldn't suppress the shiver of anticipation that ran through her. She reached up with one petite, slightly calloused hand and pulled the knocker up only to let it drop back down as she fell to her knees. She was so tired, so cold. She forced herself to stay awake, but it was useless. She slumped to the steps, the darkness of unconsciousness closing in around her. The last thing she saw before giving herself up to the darkness was a pair of vibrant red eyes glistening in the light of the still-present full moon behind her.

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Lord Voldemort was confused and unsure of what to do, and that wasn't something that happened often, if ever. It wasn't exactly an everyday occurrence that a child showed up on his doorstep, soaked to the bone, cut, bruised and malnourished. He wasn't sure what to do with her. Did he offer her refuge from whatever was chasing her? Yes, he would, unless of course she turned out to be a muggle. Then he had no choice but to kill the girl. What if she was was one of them though? What if she turned out to be a witch? She had no wand, and young Malfoy had said that he'd never seen her at Hogwarts. What if her family was looking for her? What if she had no family that cared? So many questions were running rampant through his mind without so much as a single answer. Yes, Lord Voldemort was indeed very confused and unsure.

"The girl is sleeping peacefully, M'lord." Severus Snape stood in the doorway to the modest, but vast library. "She seems to be healthy, save for the fact that she hasn't eaten in at least a week. Her wounds were minor and I've healed them all. She'll sleep for a while yet. I've given her the strongest Dreamless Sleep I could, and I left a few more vials on the bed-side table. She's been dried and warmed, and I transfigured her dress into a nightgown for the time being."

"Yes, yes...thank you, Severus. You never fail me. Make sure it stays that way. If I need your assistance again, I shall call. Good-night." Voldemort never turned his gaze from the flames that were slowly dying in the hearth of the large black marble fireplace.

"Very well, My Lord." Severus bowed and made his way to the door, closing it behind him and apparating back to his home in Spinner's End, hoping that the girl would be safe.

He stood when he heard the front door close, and headed up the stairs. It had been a very long night. What had started as a normal meeting had turned into a revel, which had led to half his Inner Circle getting into trouble. They had, of course, been punished and the master-mind behind the whole thing had paid dearly for disrupting his plans. Many thought Voldemort something other than human, and even the Dark Lord himself had wished to be so at times, but it wasn't so. He still required sleep and nourishment. Now, as he climbed the stairs, he wanted nothing more that to sleep through the next day. He paused outside his room, the heavy mahogany door already opened halfway. Out of all the rooms, he'd chosen to put the girl in his. He sighed, something he seemed to be doing a lot of lately, and made his way in to the room, closing the door behind him.

After a long hot shower, he crawled into bed beside the girl. He'd dressed modestly, as usual, wearing a thin black tunic and black cotton pajama pants, his long, dark brown hair pulled back with a strip of satin ribbon. It had taken him three months to find a spell that would restore not only his youthful appearance, but his youthful strength as well. Performing that spell had drained him of so much magic that he'd spent the next month locked up in his room alone, trying to simply regain enough strength to walk. It probably would have taken a good deal of time longer had he not regained his youth and had he not been as powerful as he was to begin with.

Now as he lay in his king sized, four-poster bed looking up at the thick canopy, his mind wandered, not for the first time, to his future. He would need a queen and a heir, but what woman was willing to become such a thing? It couldn't be just any witch, and it certainly wouldn't be Bellatrix Lestrange. The woman was annoying enough as it was, and she was two-faced. He'd watched her when she'd been courted by Alestar Lestrange. She'd acted then the way she acted now towards the Dark Lord. He refused to have a queen that would rather look at other men than at him.

No, his bride needed to be loyal, strong-willed and logical, reasonable, intelligent and devoted solely to him and their children. He was willing to give her power, money, anything she wanted as long as she stayed by his side. The only question was where to find such a woman. His eyes moved to the shivering from beside him, clad only in a thin white nightgown. He rolled onto his side and pulled her to his chest in a strange display of compassion that seemed foreign to him, but at the same time felt...right. It didn't hurt that she fit perfectly against him, as though she were meant to be there, curled against him beneath the blankets, and the last thing he needed was the girl getting a cold.

'No,' He thought, 'not girl. She's far from being a girl, as innocent and pure as she may be. She is a woman in most every aspect.' With this last thought, Voldemort fell into the first peaceful sleep he'd had in years, the light of the morning sun fluttering through the small crack in the curtains to fall across the both of them.


	3. Awkward Awakenings

**Author: **Vanilla.Eyes

**Disclaimer:**See previous chapter.(What can I say? I'm just so lazy. . )

**Author's Note: **Well, here it is...chapter two...or three, whichever you want to call it.Please R and R. It makes my day a lot better. I regret to say that I won't be able to post again for a few days. My boss has me working the suckiest hours so I haven't got as much free time as I'd like to have. I will, However, try posting the next chapter by the middle if next week. If the chapters are a little slow in coming, forgive me and remember that I do have other obligations as much as I wish I could sit at my computer for days on end and do nothing but type, like I did before I got a job. -.-; I hate my job... -sulks of to cry alone in a darkened corner-

Review Responses:

**Nethiel: **I'm glad you're enjoying it.

**Silver: **Thank you kindly. I'm trying not to do that. Almost all of my OC's end up as Mary Sues and I have to trash them and start all over again. I'm really hoping that doesn't happen this time. As I said, I'm trying to get the next chapter up within the week, so be patient and bare with me, ne?

Now...on with the story.

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**Chapter 2**

**x**

**Awkward Awakenings **

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Melodie moaned, turning over in her sleep. She didn't want to open her eyes, didn't want to think that it was all a dream, that she was still in the same place she always was when she awoke. She didn't want to be in the plain white room, on the hard bed with the sunlight steaming down directly into her eyes. If she kept her eyes closed, even if for a moment longer, then she was sure she could keep that peace of knowing what freedom felt like (even if it hadn't been real) with her until she could sleep and dream again. Something rustled to her left and she yelped, springing from the bed only to land in a heap on the floor, a thick duvet twisted around her legs. She looked around franticly, the room only dimly lit by the light of the setting sun, searching for something, anything she could use as protection.

"Well...I'm glad to see you've awoken, but that cold stone can't possibly be more comfortable than the bed. Besides, you'll get cold if you stay down there." The voice was soft, smooth with a hint of the power that lie beneath the surface of the man it belonged to. Melodie stood slowly, untangling the blanket from her limbs as she went. Cautiously she looked at the man, sitting casually against the pillows, his shaggy brown hair loose about his face and shoulders. The darkness contrasted with his skin, flesh as pale as her own, and make his eyes glow that much brighter. She suddenly became very aware that said eyes were looking her over, and quite hungrily at that. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat as he gracefully beckoned her closer. Her hesitation was obvious, but there was something about those eyes that she simply couldn't resist. She had a feeling, a fleeting thought, that this wouldn't be good for her at all, but as she always did, she ignored it and sat back down on the bed, making sure to keep plenty of distance between the two of them.

"Do you speak?" He asked, the sun's last rays catching his eyes and making them look like shimmering pools of blood. The thought made her shiver. There was something about the thought of blood that made her whole body shake with anticipation and wanting. When she'd been growing up, the other children had called her a vampire and a freak, while the doctors dubbed her as having some abnormal affection for the sight, thought, taste and smell of blood. As she grew older, she learned to keep the thoughts to herself, and to avoid all possible insistences where the sticky, sweet liquid would be present. She was jerked back to reality as the room lit up, the light of dozens of candles assaulting her sensitive eyes. She looked up at the man, curiosity etched into every corner of her face. He hadn't moved from the bed, hadn't had time to light them all when she'd spaced out. So then, how had he done it? Was it a trick, or were they really electric?

"H-how did you...how did you do that?" Her voice was hoarse, her throat scratchy from the lack of use and the cold rain and air the night before. She still couldn't believe that it was real, that she had escaped. She watched him intently, waiting for an explanation,or a demonstration.

Voldemort smirked and chuckled softly. So, she was a muggle then. It was to bad really; she was such a pretty young woman. Perhaps, she had just never been given the chance to use her magic, maybe she had no idea that it even existed. Yes, he could feel the raw power stored within her, power she wouldn't be able to reach for a very long time, power that could prove very beneficial to him and his cause.

"Why...magic, naturally."

"What? You're joking, right? I mean, magic isn't real. It's the stuff they put if fairy tales like 'Cinderella' or 'Sleeping Beauty'. Not something real people possess. Or...is it real? OH!" She let out a heavy sigh. "I honestly don't know what to think. I always knew I was different, but magic?" She was thinking out-loud at this point, unaware that he was still within ear-shot. Was there the possibility that she was a...a...a what? A witch? She giggled at the very idea of such a thing, earning her an amused look from the man beside her.

"I assure you, Miss, I'm not one to joke, and there is a very distinct possibility that you are, in fact, a witch. Yes, a witch. Don't bother looking shocked. I didn't have to read your mind to hear that. You're broadcasting your thoughts quite clearly as it is." He stood, stretching his arms above his head and made his way towards the adjoining master bathroom. Looking back over his shoulder he smiled at her. It wasn't a warm, caring smile either. It was full of mischief and scheming. It promised that whatever he had in mind wasn't going to be fun. Not for Melodie, at any rate. Groaning, Melodie fell across the bed, sighing dramatically.

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**Author's Note:** I'm really sorry that this is so incredibly short...not even two full pages, but I felt that this was a good stopping point for the chapter. BTW, I'm still in need of a beta, so if anyone's willing, or knows someone that is, let me know. Thanks in advance and remember, if you read it, review it.


	4. A New View

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**Chapter 3**

**x**

**A New View**

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"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"NO!"

Voldemort turned to look at the few people trailing behind him with a raised brow. The girl, Melodie, had been in his home and in his life for the sum of two weeks and while she failed to annoy him, she did a very good job of pushing Lucius and Severus to their limits. It amused him to watch her eyes light up as she found something new to aggravate them with, and then to see her turn to him and smile sweetly. A bond had somehow formed between them and she knew that he was safe, that he wouldn't harm her. It was ironic to the Dark Lord that this nymph of a girl could find solace and warmth in his presence where he knew there only to be chaos and bitter cold. He had yet to discover her reasoning for this, but then again she was female and it wasn't a mans place to know the reasoning of any woman.

As he watched, Melodie pouted, turning her back on Lucius, something that one simply didn't do to a Malfoy. She was acting, he knew, but Lucius didn't. Lucius didn't realize that she was just trying to get a rise out of him, and that she always managed to do the right thing at the right time to achieve perfect results.

"There wasn't any reason to yell." She bit out, cold and distant, as though she were about to cry. She stood primly with her back straight and her arms crossed. Her shined Mary-Jane's glimmering in the flickering light of the sconces. Her legs were bare from ankle to knee and then they were covered by the voluminous dress she wore. It was relatively simple, made of a soft blue color that went nicely with her scarlet curls. The sleeves were short and puffed ending in a small band of black that matched the ruffled heart apron she wore. Her bangs were pulled back from her face and held by a simple string of black satin ribbon while the rest fell freely down her back in a waterfall of curls and waves. All in all she reminded him perfectly of the muggle fairy tale "Alice in Wonderland," though she made it seem darker, gloomier than the happily-ever-after of Lewis Carroll's version.

Lucius was close to screaming when she simply walked away, stopping to stand by Voldemort's side. She was still pouting and had yet to uncross her arms, but the Dark Lord knew she'd give up the charade before long. He had spent the past two weeks watching every move she made, trying to understand her and figure out if she was friend or foe in a sense. She was adapting to magic quickly, and he had even paid for a wand for her. She had been so happy that she'd actually hugged him. Naturally, he'd remained stoic, but some part of him swelled with pride at knowing he could make someone happy. At least now he knew there was the slim possibility that, once she was of age, she would willingly become his bride and queen. Voldemort sighed and shook his head as he turned and resumed walking.

An hour later, Melodie had yet to leave his side. She had managed to keep up with his long strides, something even Severus couldn't manage to do. The click of her heels clicking on the stone floor was the only sound in the corridor. They had been walking for close to two hours, the scenery changing only once. They had come out in a clearing, the path still lain with stones. The moon was high above them and at one point something rustled in the underbrush causing Melodie to make a startled sound and grasp his hand tightly. Lucius had snickered, but at least the fabric of both her dress and his robes had hid their hands and Lucius only though she had moved closer out of fear. He didn't know that she had been waiting for the opportunity to move closer. No one but her knew that.

"Where are we going?" Melodie whispered, still holding his hand. They had re-entered the corridor a good twenty minuted ago and she had yet to let go. The smell of roses, magic, and rain filled his nose and he stored it away in his mind. He had never been close enough to actually smell her before, but now that he had he found that he very much enjoyed it. She tugged him from his thoughts with a tug at his arm, and he looked down into her amber eyes. She had come along willingly, not wishing to stay with Bellatrix and Narcissia, recalling the latest gossip no doubt, and he couldn't refuse her. Perhaps he was getting soft in his old age, but there was something about her that made him feel young, back in his prime of life but with the power of his age. She tugged again, earning her a glare and a shake of the head. He wasn't going to tell her. She still had some amount of innocence within her soul and he refused to be the one to tear it all away.

A light sparkled at the far end of the tunnel, growing as they moved closer. Voices and music of a ceremonial tribal beat filled the air. Voldemort stopped and turned to look at Severus and Lucius. He motioned for them to enter ahead of him and he pulled her to the side.

"You are not to enter this room, understood?"

"Alright...but why? Have I done something wrong?"

"No. This was not meant to be seen by someone like you, someone so pure. It would taint the darkness of the entire spell." He hadn't meant to be as rough or as cold, but she needed to realize that she could not enter the room beyond. "You shall wait here for me. When I'm finished we'll go back and you will practice as you should if you wish to join those your age in school this September. You do want to be with the seventh years, don't you?" She nodded. "Good. Wait here." He moved to enter the room, but was stopped as a pair of arms wrapped around his waist.

"Promise you'll come back? That you aren't going to leave me here?"

If he'd had a soul, his heart would have broken at the look in her eyes. Someone had hurt this girl severely and if he ever found the one responsible he would have no second thought about killing them. He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

"I'll be back in an hour." With that, he pulled away and left her alone, closing the heavy wooden door behind him. Melodie sat, leaning against the wall and waiting for him to return. She didn't know why she felt so strongly about him. He wasn't nice, or caring, he never smiled or laughed, never told her she was pretty or safe or wanted. Somehow, though, she knew. She knew he wanted her, knew he needed her as much as she needed him. The thing she didn't know was why. She shrugged and closed her eyes, a small yawn making her eyes water lightly. The last the she remembered was the flickering of fire in the sconce across from her.

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Melodie awoke to the sound of whispers and snickers, surrounded on all sides by men in long black robes and faceless masks. Her breathing hitched and her heart beat quickened. Where was he? Was he letting these men bare down on her in such a way. She pulled her knees to her chest and pressed her forehead against them, praying for someone to help her. A hand reached out to touch her hair and another to stroke her arm. One made to grab at her hand, but she was suddenly pulled to her feet and into a warm, safe embrace. She stood shaking in his arms as he reprimanded his followers harshly. She knew it was her Lord by the smell of him. He always smelled of raw power, a metallic scent reminiscent of that of metal or blood, and of a mixture of spices she couldn't place. His presence and voice surrounded her, calming her nerves as she pulled away just enough to look up at him and the men before them.

She caught only a few of his words, but the last thing left her feeling different, left her looking at him in a different light. No longer was we cold and heartless, but rather he was protective, cautious and introverted yes, but he cared. It showed that he did have some bit of humanity left within him. She smiled softly and pressed her cheek against his chest, his words radiating through her mind like that annoying song everyone hates but still knows the words to.

'No one is to touch her. She is not to be treated as a muggle, or a mudblood; you will speak to her in the same respect you speak to me, you will bow to her, you will give in to her every wish or you will answer solely to me. Is that understood?'

Those words filled her with a happiness she hadn't known in years. It made her feel as though she truly was free to make her own decisions, to choose which way her life went. She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up to find him looking down at her and ever person around them kneeling on one knee. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to do so she pressed herself closer to him and in return he tightened his hold and told them all to leave. With what sounded to Melodie like a machine gun, they were left alone to make the trek back to the manor.


	5. Sectrets Kept, Secrets Told

**Author: **Vanilla.Eyes

**Disclaimer:** Same as always. See chapter one.

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry this took so long. I got pretty sick which put my writing on hold for several days, and I've been working a lot lately. All is well, now though, so on with the story.

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**Chapter 4**

**x**

**Secrets Kept, Secrets Told**

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"You should tell him."

Melodie turned from the window that had held her attention for the past hour. She knew who the silky tenor belonged to without having to look, but still her amber orbs locked with shining twin pools of ink. A sigh passed her lips as she rose from the window seat, brushing invisible dirt from her dress' pleats and adjusting her hair. She thought for a moment of the first time she'd met Severus Snape, the man that stood before her now. She'd awoken for a few moments when he had been healing her wounds and treating her on that fateful night she'd broken free. She'd been scared, thinking for a moment that she hadn't made it, that those red eyes had been nothing more than a dream, the product of an overactive imagination. Then he'd told her, none too gently, to lie back and stop moving. She'd obeyed without question and the resulting look of satisfaction had caused a small smile to pass over her lips. It had been the first time in her life that she had pleased someone, and it made her feel proud and happy. She'd slipped back into unconsciousness a few moments later, but the smile had never left her pale, slightly chapped lips.

"Tell him what?"

"Don't play the fool, girl. You know damn good and well what I'm talking of."

"Why? Tom never needs to find out, so why should I make him angry? I don't like it when he's angry."

"He deserves to know. Besides, what will you tell him in two or three months, when your powers start to grow, when your true abilities and appearance start to show, hm? I promise you, the Dark Lord is anything but stupid. He's quite capable of putting two and two together." Severus growled. As much as he secretly loathed his 'Master,' the man deserved to at least know the truth. Lying to him would only make matters worse, he knew for a fact. As insane as the man was, Severus was sure that he would be at the very least understanding of the delicate situation Melodie was in. He couldn't understand her reasoning for keeping him in the dark.

Melodie sighed, a small tear slipping from her closed eyes to cascade down her cheek and drop to soak into the fabric of her dress. She turned away, looking up at the small sliver of moon that hung just above the trees at the edge of the property. " I can't tell him. He'll hate me. He'll throw me out, or kill me. He'll treat me the same as they did before...before I escaped. I couldn't stand it. I couldn't take the look of anger, resentment, disgust...hatred."

Severus advanced on her, blocking of any possible escape and forcing her to look him in the eyes once more. "Either you tell him, or I tell him. It's your choice." He turned on his heel without a second thought and stormed from the library, robes billowing behind him as they were want to do.

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"T-Tom?" Melodie stood primly beside the Dark Lord, waiting for him to acknowledge her. He'd spent the entire day bent over the desk in his office, books and scrolls scattered about. A white quill hung between his lips, the end chewed and the feathers frayed. It would have been humorous if it had been anyone other than Voldemort. As it were, though, the scene was a bit creepy in Melodies eyes. It was easy to tell he was plotting something, as all Dark Lords are want to do every now and then. She forced herself to relax and take several deep breaths, swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat as he looked up, scarlet eyes piercing her own.

"Yes, my pet?" He quirked an eyebrow, waiting patiently for her to continue. He knew he wasn't the easiest person in the world to speak with.

"I..."She began, pausing to chew on her bottom lip. She had come to him, ready to spill everything, everything that had happened to her before she'd ended up with him. Suddenly, she became so scared, so frightened of rejection and scorn. She couldn't do it. She couldn't tell him the truth. What had ever made her think she could? She opened her mouth as though she were about to continue before turning and bolting from the room, her heels clicking against the marble of the hallway floors.

Voldemort sighed, pushing back from his desk and rising to his feet. His bones popped from being moved so quickly and his muscles were stiff from being in the same position for so long. He shook his head, hair falling into his eyes for a moment before he pushed it back and watched the door she'd just run out. He would never understand women, not that he would ever care nor need to, but he couldn't help but feel that whatever it was Melodie was just about to tell him, it was important. He was curious as to what it could be, but saw no sense in running after her. She would tell him in time, when she was ready, and that was fine. Voldemort could be very patient when it benefited him.

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Severus Snape sat at the head to the table before Albus Dumbledore and the rest of the Order, his thick outer robe discarded over the back of a chair. The sleeves of his white dress shirt were rolled up to his elbows and the first few buttons were undone, exposing the pale skin of his collarbone. His head rested in his hands as his elbows sat propped on the edge of the table. He heaved a haggard sigh before looking up at everyone, his face blank as always, but his eyes shimmering in the faint candle light.

"And you're positive about this, Severus?" Minerva asked from her seat beside Albus. The very thought that You-Know-Who had within his possession an item of such pure, raw power frightened Minerva McGonagall as very few things ever had.

Severus nodded in affirmation, disgusted by the very thought himself.

"We can not allow him to harness its powers. We must find the item and destroy it before he can unlock it." Dumbledore said softly as he moved to stand.

"I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than that, Albus."

"How so, my boy?"

"The item you speak of, this object that holds such strength, is a girl. You can't simply walk up and kill her."

"A girl, Severus?"

"You can't be serious."

"How do you expect us to believe that?"

Everyone began talking at once, asking questions without answers and arguing about things that made no sense to his sleep deprived mind. As the fighting continued unabated, he head fell forward to rest on his forearms folded on the table, his hair fanning out and covering his face. Within moments he was asleep for the first time in four days.

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

Melodie lay silent in her bed, just across the hall from the first room she'd been placed in. The sun had set and the moon was the only thing there to light the darkness. She had come here when she had left Tom in the the study. How could she have been so foolish to think she could ever tell him? What would she have said at any rate; it wasn't as though the topic of the conversation was commonplace, even for a wizard and a Dark Lord at that. She sighed and rolled over, only to be greeted with the sight of a silhouette in her doorway. She knew it was Tom, but still she couldn't see his face as the light spilled around him from the corridor beyond. The figure moved, closing the door softly behind it before advancing slowly towards the bed and towards Melodie. She sat up, waiting patiently for him to speak first.

"Are you planning on keeping me in the dark forever?" He whispered as he stood beside her, leaning over so his lips barely brushed the shell of her ear. He nipped harshly at it before sweetly easing the pain with a caress of his tongue and moving to give her jawline the same treatment.

Melodie stumbled for words, to caught up in the sensations he was exposing her to. Her body shuddered as his lips brushed against her neck like the touch of a ghost. "I don't know what you...what you mean, Tom," she breathed, gasping sharply as his teeth marked the junction of her neck and shoulder, drawing the slightest bit of blood to the surface. Once more, he lapped at the wound like a kitten would cream.

"Don't lie to me, Melodie." He pulled away, his face dark and serious in the pale light of the moon. "I don't take kindly to being lied to, my pet, and you would do well to remember that." He hissed before he pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was hard, possessive and commanding. He pulled away after a moment and stood to leave, but stopped as her hand caught his.

He looked down at her, her hair disheveled and unkempt, her cheeks flushed. She held the fingers of one hand to her lips as she looked up at him, her eyes filled with a deep sadness that he had never seen before. It wasn't from injury or loss or fear. It wasn't because he had been so harsh with her. It was an anguish born of regret. He sat down once more, pulling her to him and holding her as close to his chest as he could without crushing her. For a moment she was still, as though the situation was new to her. Her arms wound around his waist and she pressed her face into his shoulder as her body began to shake, racked with sobs as tears fell from her eyes in an unending waterfall.

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**Author's Note:** Well, that's chapter four. I'm rather proud of it. It's the longest chapter I've got so far and I like it. Special thanks to my beta, Lady-Luthien-Ancalimon, as well as everyone that's reviewed thus far. Now, if you'd be so kind, click the little button below and review. It would be much appreciated.


	6. Skeletons Open the Closet

**Author: **Vanilla.Eyes

**Disclaimer:** Same as always. See chapter one.

**Author's Note: **I'm sorry this took so long. Writer's block. Anywho, thank much to my faithful reviewers.

_Review Response_

_**Nethiel:** I can't tell you that, sorry. I don't know whether that's because I don't wish to give anything away, or simply because I don't know. You're just going to have to keep reading to find out is all I can say._

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**Chapter 5**

**x**

**Skeletons Open the Closet**

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Melodie opened her eyes only to be assaulted by the bright rays of sunlight shining through the open window beside the bed. Yawning slightly, she became aware of the strong arm wrapped protectively around her waist, the broad, powerful chest pressed into her back, the slight ruffle of her hair as the person behind her exhaled, sending shivers down her spine and back up again. She looked back over her shoulder, trying to recall the night previous. Silently, she studied him in the early morning light, his skin a warmer shade than usual, filled with a youthful, rested glow. He looked so peaceful then, she regretted the fact that eventually he would have to rise from the bed and go about his day, as she too would have to do. Her mind flashed back to the kiss the night before and she pressed a finger to her lips as she remembered his touch, his breath, his smell. It was the first time in her life that she had been kissed, the first time she'd been close enough to feel his breath on her flesh. Never before had she gotten so close to another as to actually single out their scent. She remembered his perfectly, a mixture of power and the scent of old books bound with leather and filled with delicate yellowed pages full of magic and knowledge, mingled with something musky, something uniquely his own. She shook her head, eyes still puffy and sore from all the tears and snuggled back beneath the covers. 'Let him wake on his own,' she thought as her eyes slipped closed once more.'At least then, he won't be as angry with me for last night.'

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

"What do you mean you can't find her? Have you bothered looking past the woods? Well? What are you waiting for, then? GO! I want that girl found and brought back to me now!" Long, talon-like nails clicked against the polished wood of a rather expensive mahogany desk as the phone was slammed back onto its' platform. Cold blue eyes flared with anger as long tendrils of blonde hair fell from its confines to frame a stern, cold face with sharp, unforgiving angles and a fake tan. No, Karen Sans was not a happy woman. One of her 'patients' had escaped three weeks previous and they had failed in locating the slip of a girl thus far. Karen still could not understand how she had escaped in the first place. The entire property was a high level, fully secured government building, and yet she had eluded all attempts at capture.

"Miss Sans?" The high voice of her personal secretary Bridgette came over the intercom, sounding quite frustrated.

"What is it?"

" Mr. Marshall, from the lab, is here to speak with you."

"Let him in."

A scrawny man with graying hair and thick oval spectacles opened the door, dressed in tan slacks and a blue dress shirt. Like all the doctors and scientists on the premises, he wore a standard white lab coat. He seemed a bit nervous, taking several deep breaths before shutting the door and approaching the desk.

"Well? On with it. I haven't got all day, Mr. Marshall." She snapped impatiently.

"I...I have some good news, Miss Sans. We've got a lock on the tracking chip that was placed in Miss Kavenaugh at her last physical. We've traced it to about an hour north of here, to a small village called Kenson."

"Is that all?"

"Well...yes."

"Then go and get her!" Karen growled and stood up.

"Y-yes, Ma'am." He stuttered as he turned and left the office.

Her lips quirked into a smirk as she picked up her coat and purse. Flipping off the lights, she walked out into the lobby and locked to door behind her. Nodding to Bridgette, she signed out and headed for the elevator and down to the parking garage. '_Well...the day hasn't been a complete loss, I suppose._' she thought as she unlocked the door to her Mercedes and climbed in. As she pulled out of the gates a few moments later, she thought briefly on what the next day would hold.

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

"M'lord?" Peter Pettegrew cautiously opened the door to the parlor where the Dark Lord and a select few of his followers were seated after a lavish dinner. The Malfoys, the Lestranges, Snape, Melodie and Voldemort himself sat in various places about the room, talking and enjoying tea and music. The black Grand Piano in the corner had been magicked to play itself, and at the moment it was giving out a wonderful translation of Tchaikovsky's, 'Romance.' Voldemort looked up from the book he'd been reading to stare impatiently at his servant, the light of the candles in the chandelier above flickering with his annoyance and impatience.

"Yes, Wormtail?"

"There's someone here, a man, says he's come for the girl."

Melodie looked at Wormtail for a moment, a look of disbelief on her face, before turning to look at the Dark Lord, the disbelief tuning to fear. As the Dark Lord stood, he dismissed his guests and headed from the room, Melodie close behind him. The 'click-click' of her mary-janes was drowned out by the fall of his heavy dragon-hide boots and she looked quite out of place in her simple lavender dress with her ever-present heart apron. She felt and looked too innocent to be walking beside this man, this man that screamed power and darkness, this man that had killed so many, where she had never seen a corpse. Still, she stood proud beside him, resisting the urge to grasp his hand to reassure herself that he was there and that he would protect her.

They entered the foyer of the large house, descending the grand staircase in a flutter of black robes and pastel frills. The man in the hallway looked unfazed by the dark décor of the mansion, but the dark sunglasses he wore hid his eyes from view and his stance was that of a military man, unyielding and disciplined. The two stopped several feet away from him, Melodie standing a respectful step behind her protector. The man smirked as he caught sight of her, but did not move.

"If you hand the girl over now, we'll leave without another word. We'll forget the entire incident and be on our way." His voice was deep and commanding. Melodie had met him before, on several occasions. He was the chief of security in that prison she'd escaped from. She had never liked the man, but never had reason to hate him as she hated the chief of science and the chief of medicine. They had tortured her from the first day she'd entered the facility almost fourteen years previous.

"Who are you, to enter into my home and make demands?" Voldemort hissed, arms crossed against his chest. Even with the body of a twenty year old boy, he was still an imposing and intimidating figure. His eyes gleamed in the flickering light of a nearby sconce, the crimson flaring with a fire of it's own. He did not like people that made demands of him, in his own home at that, and he certainly was not going to allow this man to take her away from him. She was the first person in his entire life that he felt he could get close to and not have to worry about how they saw him, how they felt about him. He knew he could trust her with his heart where he had never trusted any other soul. He would not have that taken away from him, not after only three short weeks.

The man removed his glassed, revealing dark green eyes that held no emotion. "That girl belongs to the English government, sir, and needs to be taken back to Sacred Life."

"Tom...please, don't let him take me. I don't want to go back there. Please?" She pleaded looking up into his fiery orbs, tears threatening to fall once more from her wide, scared amber eyes. The Dark Lord had decided that night he'd held her, that he never wanted to see her cry again and that he would do everything in his power to make it so. He turned to her and placed a soft kiss to her forehead, making a silent promise. He knew at that moment, how strange it must seem to anyone looking on from the outside. Him, the Dark Lord Voldemort, protecting an innocent girl, barely sixteen, and trying to keep her from crying. If the tabloids knew, they'd have a field day.

"No one is taking you anywhere, my pet." He hissed softly as he stood and looked at the man, sizing him up, gazing into his unprotected mind. He glimpsed the things that went on in this place and even he was appalled by it. The government, built to protect the citizens of England and Scotland, was betraying them and their trust. He growled, drawing his wand from its place within his pocket as stepping closer to the man. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that. You see, I've grown quite attached to this girl here. I find myself wanting to keep her all for myself, and that means protecting and keeping her from people like you and anyone else that wishes to take her away against her will."

"Sir, I'm afraid you haven't got much say in this." The man took a step closer to him, pulling out a black handgun. "We need to take her back so she can be treated and monitored. We have to think about the safety of everyone in this country and that means keeping her kind locked away where they can't harm themselves or anyone else."

"This child is of no harm to anyone."

"The medication is still in her system. Once that wears off she will be dangerous to everyone around her. Including you, sir. So, please, let us take her back to where she belongs -"

"What? Locked up and tortured? Treated like garbage? Forced into slavery? I won't go with you, and I'll be damned if you'll ever take me back there alive." Melodie turned and fled up the stairs, almost knocking Lucius Malfoy to the ground. She paused, looking at him, then to his wife and son behind him, for a moment, before pushing past and running down the hall. She felt like crying, felt like screaming. She wanted to throw something, but what would that help? It would only anger Tom. She stopped as she neared one of the large windows at the end of one of the hallways, attempting to catch her breath. Looking out, she caught the last rays of sunlight as it faded away beyond the mountains. She turned, leaning against the wall and sliding down the wall to sit in a heap on the cold stone floor. As she pulled her knees to her chest, a flicker of doubt filled her mind. '_Would he let them take me? If he knew what I really am, would he still protect me, still care for me as he does now?_'

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**Author's Note: **Thank you all for reading. Please review. I'd love some constructive criticism at the moment.


	7. Truth In A Kiss

**Author: **Vanilla.Eyes

**Disclaimer:** Same as always. See chapter one.

**Author's Note: **Erm…sorry this took so long, luvs. I've been bombed at school, but I'll try to do better from now on.

_Review Response_

**Nethiel: **Thank you. I'll try to keep that in mind. I'm so pleased you're enjoying it.

**Erin:** Yes, it is all thanks to a certain dark and brooding potion master. Glad you like the story.

**MissRiddle:** I'm happy you find the story interesting enough to have reviewed it. Thank you.

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**Chapter 6 **

**X**

**Truth In A Kiss**

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_'Melody. Darling, it's time to get up.'_

No...it's to early, mum. Five more minutes, and I promise I'll get up.

_'Come on, dear. You have to get up.'_

Melody opened her eyes. She was not greeted with the soft blue walls of her childhood bedroom as she had expected, but rather the dark wooden paneling of Riddle Manor's master bedroom. She blinked several times as she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes with the back of one hand. A chuckle made her look at the other occupants of the room, a relieved looking Snape, a bored Lucius, and an expressionless Dark Lord. The latter was the source of the laugh, and she looked at him cautiously, her head slightly cocked to the right. Taking a deep breath, she swallowed, her throat dry from sleep.

"I don't think Severus has ever been called 'Mum' before, do you, Lucius?" Voldemort spoke with just the slightest amusement in his voice, much to Snape's chagrin.

"I believe you're right, M'lord." was Malfoy's only response.

Melodie looked down as she felt the tale-tail signs of a blush creep across her cheeks. She looked up at Snape apologetically through the fringe of her bangs. Her voice as very small when she finally spoke. "I'm sorry, Mr. Snape. I didn't mean it."

He nodded slightly, the only response she would receive. She looked from Snape to Voldemort, swallowing hard to clear the lump in her throat as their eyes met. "I'm sorry. About the man from before. I didn't know they'd find me here, and I shouldn't have stayed. Forgive me for any problems I may have caused you. I'll be out of your way by the end of tomorrow." Her hands lay folded in her lap. She knew that she couldn't stay and she was sure, now that he knew how much trouble she was, that he wanted her gone as well. "It was wrong of me to-"

"Lucius, Severus, leave us. I will meet with you in the study in a bit." Voldemort waited

for the door to close before looking back to the frail looking girl in his bed. She looked so scared in that moment, so vulnerable and innocent, that he couldn't help himself from sitting beside her and pulling her close to him, his long arms wrapping around her protectively as though he were trying to keep all the bad things of the world from reaching her. "Foolish girl. You needn't speak such nonsense."

Her body shook as she fought back her tears. Why was he being so nice? She didn't deserve this, didn't deserve the harsh, yet gentle words that this man was telling her. She took a deep breath as she wrapped her own arms around his waist and pressing her cheek against his chest, his heart beat filling her head with its rhythm. She pulled back after a few moments, looking up into his eyes. They were so bright, like every chip and shard of ruby in the world had come together to form two perfect orbs just for him. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words died as he gently pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss that spoke of promise and passion. It only took a moment for the shock to wear off, and when that moment was over, nothing else mattered. Her past, her thoughts, everything disappeared as the room around them melted away.

Her fingers entwined with his hair at the nape of his neck as she pressed her lips against his. The soft growl she earned made her skin tingle. She'd never felt like this before, she didn't know what to do, or make of what was happening, but as she pulled back to catch her breath, she knew she didn't care.

Voldemort looked at her as she broke the kiss, her eyes looking up to his with a look that made his breath catch in his chest. Her soft eyes showed her emotions clearly to one that knew what to look for. Fear, lust, and trust mixed, turning her eyes into a dark hazy shade. He knew then that he would not let her go. He didn't thing he could. Everyone, even his servants believed that he'd given up his soul, the price for his power and his immortality. They only believed what they wanted, everyone of them. He still had a soul, he was still human, wasn't he?

"Don't leave." It was the only thing he said before crushing her against him in a different sort of kiss, one that scream of desperation, of passion, and of need. She could only succumb to it and attempt to match it. His tongue darted out to part her lips and explore her mouth. He wanted to memorize every detail about her, about his Melodie. 'Yes,' he though, 'She is mine now, and no one shall ever harm her again.'

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**Author's Note: **I know this chapter was rather short, but it just didn't seen to fit that it should go any farther. I'm sorry if this upsets you all, but as a writer, I have to trust my intuition. As always, please remember to R&R, and I'll try to update again as soon as possible.


	8. Childhood's End

**Author: **Vanilla.Eyes

**Disclaimer: **…not even gonna go there. -.-'

**Author's Note: **Okay, so this is chapter seven. I'm in need of a new beta as I haven't heard from mine in a while. I also would like to take ideas from anyone that's willing to give them. Also, I'm starting a 5 review policy. I need at least five reviews on this chapter before I post the next one. If you guys want more you'll just have to review. Sorry if this seems harsh, but I do what I must. Besides, it's not really that much to ask.

**Review Responses:**

**Hpnut1: **I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'll try to keep it that way.

**Nethiel: **My ever-faithful reviewer. I was almost starting to worry you wouldn't review before I began this chapter, but I'm happy to see I was wrong. You read my mind though. I hope this chapter clears thing up for you. If not, let me know and I'll see what I can do, mkay?

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**Chapter 7**

**-x-**

**Childhood's End**

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_"Hey, sweetie. You alright?"_

_Melodie nodded, a small tear running down her cheek. She could faintly recall the pain in her knee where she'd fallen off her little tricycle. "Uh-huh."_

_"Hmm…would…an ice-cream make it better?" She could remember his coy smile, and his deep, soothing voice. He always knew what would make her feel better, no matter the situation._

_"Yes!" She jumped up and down, her curly pigtails bouncing with her enthusiasm. _

_"Well, come on then." She gleefully took hold of his hand, amazed for a moment at how large it had been compared to her own. She could almost see the glint of sunlight reflecting off the band of silver around his right ring finger. She paused, causing him to look down at her with a look of confusion. She smiled up at him, her amber eyes full of joy and innocence._

_"Thank you…Daddy."_

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

_"Alec…stop. Give Mr. Fluffers back!"_

_"Make me." A blond haired boy, a little older than Melodie stuck his tongue out as her ran from the room, taking her stuffed unicorn with him. Melodie ran after, but she was smaller, and her legs were shorter. She tripped on a step as she followed the boy up the stairs, landing on her elbow and knees and ripping her dress._

_"A-Alec! Give him back! " She couldn't stop the tears that came as she stood and tried to follow once more. She gave up, sitting on the bottom step and toying with the tear in the soft fabric of her skirt._

_"Melodie? Baby girl, what's the matter?" A large, warm hand brushed away a few of her tears before pulling her into a hug._

_"A-Alec…he took Mr. F-Fluffers. He wo-won't give him ba-back." She sniffled, trying to make the tears and sobs cease. He stood up after placing a soft kiss to her forehead._

_"Wait right here, okay?" _

_She nodded and buried her face in her skirt. Moments later, a soft whisper made her look up. He'd gotten her unicorn back._

_"Mr. Fluffers!" She hugged the plush to her chest for a moment before launching herself into her father's arms. _

_"Thank you, Daddy!"_

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

_"Daddy?" Melodie rubbed her eyes with the back of one hand, hugging her unicorn plush in the other. She had been woken up by a loud noise from somewhere downstairs and had climbed silently out of bed and down the stairs in search of it's cause. Her nightgown, a thin slip of white lace and frills, did very litter to keep the chilled air from reaching her skin. She shivered slightly as she pushed open the door to the library. "Daddy?"_

_The room was empty, but its state was one of chaos and struggle. Books were lying all about the room, pages ripped out, covers broken or burnt, and there were several shelves still smoking from misaimed spells. The fireplace mantel was smashed, the native stones crumbled on the floor and in it's hearth. She slowly backed out of the room, but her retreat was halted as a black clad arm wrapped around her waist and hoisted her up into the air, a deep malicious chuckle filling her ears from above._

_"DADDY!!" _

_"You're daddy can't help you now, Princess." The woman that held her whispered something and the only thing Melodie could remember clearly was being carried by her father's study. The door was open, and her father's voice filled the air in a way she'd never heard before. He was screaming. She caught a glimpse of his body, writhing on the floor as he cried out in pain. _

_"DADDY!" She cried again. "No! Stop! Daddy!" Tears blurred her sight as she fought to get free, finally managing and running towards her fathers body as he lay on the cold marble floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Daddy…"_

_"Hey, sweetie…" He whispered, his shaking hand brushing a curl behind her ear. His dark amber eyes were filled with pain, fear, and rage, but as they met her own identical orbs, all she could see was sadness. Her body felt numb, her mind was silent. All she knew in that moment was sadness. All she could feel was a bitter cold that consumed her heart. "Come on, baby girl. Don't c-cry. We knew it was only a mat-matter of time. You know how much I love you."_

_"I…I love you, too." She was jerked away from him, but now matter how much she fought and struggled, she couldn't get free. "No! No, daddy…daddy…don't go. Please? Daddy, I need you. You can't leave me! You can't! YOU CAN'T!" She crumbed to the floor as her legs gave out. Tears burned her flushed cheeks as they made their way down her face, dropping off her jaw to land with a small 'splash' on the floor. "You can't…"_

_"Be good, sweetie. I'll never…I'll never be too far away."_

_"Kill him."_

_He smiled, blowing her one last kiss. She blew one back as a green light filled the room. As the light faded away, she saw him, his eyes empty, with a smile on his face. A new emotion filled her then. It took control of her body, made her hands shake and her jaw clench so tight she thought her teeth would break. She'd felt anger before, and sadness, but most of her life had been, up until that moment, full of peace, happiness and unconditional love. She rose to her feet, taking one last look at what was once her father before turning to look at the one that had killed him._

_"Is the wittle girlie mad?" "Is the bitty baby gonna hurt us?" They mocked her. She growled as her heartbeat thrummed in her ears. She could feel the rage building inside her, she could feel her skin tingle with power, she could even see the growing aura of shimmering ebony that surrounded her body; none of it mattered. She couldn't remember much of what happened next save for the hum of power that filled the air and made is crackle around her, and the light. The light had filled her with a sort of warmth and an odd sense of calm. She could faintly remember her father's voice filling her mind then, telling her everything would be okay._

_"Thank you daddy. Thank you so much." She whispered as darkness replaced the light._

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

Melodie awoke to darkness, her body covered in a cold sweat. That memory had haunted her for years, so much that she rarely dreamt of anything else. She fought to regain her breath as she glanced around. She smiled as her eyes found his body, the blankets down around his waist as he chest rose and fell evenly in his slumber. She brushed a lock of hair from his face and tucked it behind his ear. She pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, but before she could pull away he rolled over and wrapped his arms around her waist, effectively keeping her pinned to him. She giggled and tried to pull away, but it was pointless. She sighed and closed her eyes, her head falling to rest against his shoulder. 'I could get used to this,' she thought. She liked the idea of being in his arms.

Her eyes opened, filled with mischief. She giggled softly as she pressed her lips to the exposed skin of his neck that showed over the collar of his tunic. It was feathery, her lips brushing only just against his jugular. It had been a bad move on her part, however, for a moment later she was on her back, his shielded crimson eyes looking down into her own eyes, her arms pinned to her sides. His walls dropped, replaced with a mischief of his own tainted with lust. His breath rushed over her lips one moment, only to be replaced by his own the next. Her eyes slipped closed as he released her arms, using his own to hold himself up. She clasped her hands behind his neck, nipping at his bottom lip with her teeth. His resulting growl sent shivers through her and he pressed harder against her small frame. One of his hands found its way to her hip and slowly traveled down to rest on her thigh, rubbing small circles through the satin of her nightgown. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized where things were heading and she pulled back. "Tom…stop." She fought to catch her breath as his hand stilled and he place on last kiss to her neck before letting his forehead rest against her shoulder. His own breathing was heavy as he reigned in his emotions. He rolled off her to lay on his back, looking up at the canopy of his bed. He swallowed deeply before sitting up and getting out of bed. He paused in the doorway of the bathroom, unable to look back at her.

"Forgive me."

She watched to door as it closed and continued to stare at it until she heard the water of the shower start. She climbed out of the bed and walked silently across the hall to her own room to get dressed. Opening her wardrobe, she glanced through the multitude of dresses. She was tired of dresses. She walked over to her dresser and glanced through its contents. Nothing appealed to her. She grabbed a long skirt and another shorter one. Placing them on her bed, she pulled out her wand. Thinking for a moment on what she wanted, she flicked her wand, transfiguring the longer skirt into a pair of ripped jeans that had seen better days. The shorter one had transformed into a gray baby doll tee-shirt, the words 'i'm a sucker for happy endings' along the bottom of the front, while the back was covered in silver safety pins. Satisfied, she dressed, brushed her hair and slipped on her mary-jane-transfigured trainers.

She knocked softly on the door to the master bedroom. A sharp 'Enter' sounded from inside and she opened the door. She stepped into the room, the rising sun casting a red-orange glow through the windows. Voldemort sat, half dressed, against the headboard of the bed, twirling his wand in his right hand. She walked slowly towards the bed, her steps hesitant and unsure.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for waking you so early. I don't know what I was thinking." She bowed deeply at the waist, her hands folded over her thighs. She remained that way for several moments, unaware that he had risen and moved to stand beside her until his fingers curled beneath her chin, forcing her to rise and look at him. She swallowed deeply, felt him sifting through her mind. She did nothing to stop him, either. 'Let him see.' She thought. 'Let him see who I am, where I come from, what I've done.' This shocked him, but he didn't let it show. He pulled away sharply. She trusted him, he couldn't betray that in such a way.

"Go practice your magic." There was no room for argument if she'd wanted to. Nodding, she left the room silently and made her way to the library on the ground floor.

**x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

**Author's Note**: Okay….I'm reposting this. I've found quite a few mistakes, and other things that I'm not happy with, so I'm going to repost the story. It may or may not stay under the title of Night Eternal. If anyone had an idea for it, again let me know, mkay?


	9. To My Loyal Readers: A Note from Sefora

Dear readers,

I'm sure you're wondering why it's taking so very long for an update. There are several reasons.

Reason 1: College holds first priority. It's just simple fact.

Reason 2: Until very recently, I was employed. Not so much anymore. -.-;

And lastly,

Reason C: For your reading enjoyment, I've decided that there are far too many mistakes and inconsistencies with the story and the plot. I'm currently in the process of editing and I am looking for a beta that wouldn't mind going over all eight chapters after I've finished.(Wink wink, nudge nudge.)

If anyone is interested in helping me, I shall reward you with your own place in my lovely little masterpiece of insanity and possibly other works as well, with your permission, of course. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail or pm. We'll set up some means of communication and from there, we'll revamp Night Eternal and make it something to be proud of rather than the diluted fantasies of an 18 year-old obsessive fan and want-to-be Death Eater. -.-;

Your most gracious servant and adoring author,

~Sefora


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